Photo: Jürgen Klauke, 1973
Transformer: Aspects of Travesty @ Richard Saltoun Gallery, London
Alejandro De Luna
“Transformer looks back at the 70s contemporary society and art practice, considering the aspects of transvestism and sexual self-reflection in art. The exhibition takes its title from the seminal 1972 album by Lou Reed, finding its parallel in the worlds of fashion and glam rock.”
Transformer: Aspects of Travesty, curated by Giulia Casalini, includes the work from the following artists:
Luciano Castelli (Switzerland)
Jürgen Klauke (Germany)
Urs Lüthi (Switzerland)
Pierre Molinier (France)
Tony Morgan (UK)
Luigi Ontani (Italy)
Walter Pfeiffer (Switzerland)
Andrew Sherwood (USA)
Katharina Sieverding (Czech Republic)
Werner Alex Meyer (Switzerland)
The Cockettes (USA) Andy Warhol (USA)
The 70s: Where drags and art merged
Despite the conservative sectors in the US and the European society, the 70s was a decade that embraced sexual ambiguity, physical exploration and true identity. It was also a decade where sexual aesthetics were influenced by drugs, rock music, fashion, art and cinema; played with sexual duality, ideals of freedom and fetishistic androgyny within the male sexuality to offer a valid escape or personal encounter in the shape of travesty and drag performance.
Some aspects that developed the queer culture during the 70s:
1. Lou Reed´s lyrical genius spoke freely for the first time in rock music about prostitution, sadomasochism, drug addiction and sexual kinkiness.
2. Bowie´s glam with androgynous alter-egos like Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane redefined the image of a rockstar and transformed it as a sexual desirable glamorous icon.
3. The New York Dolls. Described by Morrissey as “the most perfect looking pop group.” This gang of “losers” looking like New York crack addict prostitutes with a dark past and no other future rather than to bring homage to rock ‘n’ roll decadence with their tragic lives, androgynous looks and proto-punk noise.
4. Andy Warhol was one of the main supporters of the queer culture. With The Factory as a laboratory for uncensored self-expression; with movies like Flesh, Women in Revolt or Trash redefining the queer culture and always surrounded by glamorous personalities and the self- called ‘Warhol Superstars’ crew including various transvestites protegees and queer icons like Jackie Curtis (film actor and performer), Candy Darling (transgender film actress. She appears on the cover of The Smiths´s ‘Sheila Take A Bow’ and mentioned in Lou Reed´s ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ and ‘Candy Says’) and Wayne County (transsexual punk singer and film actress).
The 70s; a decade of sexual ambiguity, artistic freedom and self-reflection in art towards the morality of being true to yourself beyond anything else.
Candy came from out on the island, in the backroom she was everybody’s darling, but she never lost her head even when she was giving head (Lou Reed, Take A Walk On The Wild Side)
